The rantings of a teacher who retired from the classroom but not from education.

Sunday, May 06, 2012

Reply To All Gone Public

Dear Mr. AP,

I know you don't want any e-mails from me and I can assure you that you will never get one but I have something to say, something I want you and everyone else to know so I will have to put it here.

When I heard about your bonus, I wrote and congratulated you. I also suggested that you include retirees and people who had left in your dinner plans as we all worked hard to help you earn it. You wrote back that you did, but didn't include me because the meal wasn't kosher. When I informed you that I could eat vegetables, you returned a scathing letter, not only to me, but to the entire department. I know my blog causes you pain and I never really expected to be invited. If you hadn't been so awful to me and others, I would never have written the things I did. It was the only way to stay sane and cope with you. You had the power.

Sent: Sun, Feb
19, 2012 11:53 am

Subject: FYI -My
bonus

I got an email from POd titled "Your bonus". She
demanded to be invited because I got my bonus because of what she did as a
teacher. And this was my most recent response to her: I did invite most of the
other retirees, those whom I knew would come and have a good
time.

Dear Ms. POd:

I
have not received my bonus, yet. And when I do, I, not others, will decide whom
I will invite. I am not sure why in your twisted mind, you think you are
entitled to MY bonus.Please stop emailing me and harassing me. You are
out of our lives already and let's keep it that way.Thank
you.Mr. APPS As the saying goes, no good deed goes
unpunished.

My final response, written but not
sent before the above arrived is below. Since he felt it fitting to share his
twisted thoughts with the department, I thought it fitting to share mine with
the department and with everyone who reads this blog.

Let's be honest here. The reason you didn't invite
me has nothing to do with my being Kosher. G and B are much more religious than
I am and you invited them. You didn't invite me because you don't like me and
you don't have to. Just remember, I helped you get that bonus. I was the one
who thought of adding the extra AP class, letting 30 more kids in, and
increasing the school's rating in that category. I was the one who stayed late
and worked weekends to make up the extra time these kids needed. I worked like
a dog to get the kids you put in ME 43 and ME 44 through the regents even though
most of them didn't even have a teacher the year before and they only passed
because they passed the final, an exam that went around the school periods
before they took they took it, an exam they were all able to get the answers to
in advance. I was one of the teachers who stayed late helping you finish
grading more times than you can count and I came in over the weekend to make
sure papers were finished in June. You always promised me good programs my last years of
teaching, so I could end my career they way you let others end theirs. You
didn't keep you word. Each term, you managed to give me preps I never taught,
each one more difficult than the one before. You used the AP class as an excuse
but had no problem giving AP calculus and pre-calculus to my successor. You
even tried to take the AP class from me. We both know you did these things to
encourage my leaving. I don't like the way you treated me and treated
others in my position, but I don't hate you. I feel sorry for you. I never
wished you any harm but when reason didn't work I struck back any way I could. With you. it was always a fight for survival, both of myself, my colleagues and
the students. Enjoy your dinner and your bonus. The work I did was
for the kids and for the teachers in the department. I know they appreciated it
even if you didn't.You are right, no good deed goes unpunished. I have
been punished for mine.Please learn the difference between a suggestion and
a demand. And, two or three e-mails is not harassment. Don't worry, you will
never get one from me again.

It was all over until he sent out this, deliberately excluding me. He tried to embarrass me so I thought I would return the favor with this post. I can't help but think of the close to 60 kids that passed because of my work, kids whose failure would have prevented him from getting that bonus.

I would like to make Wednesday, May 16, 2012 the
tentative date to go out and celebrate our success last year. The restaurant
opens at 5:30 pm for dinner and we will be there as soon as they open. I
personally would appreciate it if everyone can attend. After all, it is our collective efforts that
got us there. One person already told me she could not make it. Please let me
know if you are not going because I have to make a reservation. If that date is
not good for you, please speak up now and we will see what we can do. Once we
agree on the date, I can notify the retirees and people who left us to pursue
other things they enjoy.

I wouldn't go to his dinner. I am willing to bet most of the people that do attend will do so out of fear, rather than desire. I personally think the department needs to attend. He holds their careers in his hands. Crossing him will not bode well. I just hope take plenty of bicarbonate before they go. Sharing a meal with him can't be good for the digestive system.

Site Meter

About Me

I have been teaching in NYC for over 30 years. I first taught at an inner city school. The staff was close and we all worked together to help the kids. We tutored constantly and were involved in many activities outside of school. We participated in student faculty sporting events where teachers who were not sports oriented dressed up as cheerleaders. We raised money by putting on a "faculty frolics" show. We stood on stage and made fools out of ourselves to raise school spirit and help our students feel part of the community. These feelings are no longer a part of my job. I still love my classes and students but I can't wait until I can go home at the end of the day. I use this blog to express my frustations about the way teaching has changed. I don't want to retire but sometimes feel I can't go on any longer the way the system is now.